| "Opposing God to flesh and blood, he declares it to be a supernatural gift, that those who would otherwise remain in unbelief, receive Christ by faith. Similar to this is our Savior's reply to Peter, "Flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven," (Matt. 16: 17).... Accordingly to make his disciples capable of heavenly wisdom, Christ promised them "the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive," (John 14:17)....Therefore, as we have said that salvation is perfected in the person of Christ, so, in order to make us partakers of it, he baptizes us "with the Holy Spirit and with fire," (Luke 3: 16,) enlightening us into the faith of his Gospel, and so regenerating us to be new creatures." (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book III, Chapter 4.1)."
| Calvin does not realize that he has made a glaring contradiction. In this section he argues that one cannot have faith without the Spirit and the illuminating regeneration which the gift of the Spirit brings. He notes that Peter had faith in Christ (Mt 16:17) and then admits that Christ later promised the Spirit to the disciples. Indeed, we see in John 20:22 the disciples es receiving the Spirit well after Calvin says Peter put faith in Christ apart from being baptized in the Holy Spirit which he says enlightens into the faith. |
